Colin Kaepernick put his career as an NFL star on the line to speak out against police brutality. The embattled NFL star decided to kneel before games during the national anthem as a silent protest against police brutality and systemic racism.
Kaepernick’s protest soon became a political issue as NFL teams decided not to sign him following the 2016 season, although he was a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.
But while Kaepernick may never play another down of football, he continues to be a prominent voice in the community.
On May 28, Kaepernick used social media to express his thoughts on the untimely death of George Floyd and police brutality.
“When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction,” Kaepernick posted on his Instagram page. “The cries of peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears because your violence has brought this resistance. We have the right to fight back. Rest in power George Floyd.”
On Monday, May 25, 2020, George Floyd was being arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for allegedly committing forgery. Videos from a store’s surveillance camera and a witness’s cellphone captured the moments when Floyd was being taken into custody and physically restrained by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin and three other officers.
